Join POLISH 5230 for a film series exploring the theme of "return" in films dealing with Polish-Jewish history, culture and identity. All screenings, besides that of A Real Pain, will take place in 360 Journalism Building. A short discussion will follow each film. Please send questions to Dr. Diana Sacilowski (sacilowski.1@osu.edu).
The Return (2014, dir. Adam Zucker)
Wednesday, October 7, 6:00-8:00 PM, 360 Journalism Building
Filmmaker Adam Zucker tracks the stories of four young women as they navigate what it means to be Jewish in Poland today. Through their personal experiences, the film explores questions of identity, community, heritage, and belonging in a country shaped by a complex Jewish past and a changing present.
Co-sponsored by the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures, the Melton Center for Jewish Studies, the Polish Club at Ohio State and the Polish Studies Initiative.
A Real Pain (2024, dir. Jesse Eisenberg)
Thursday, October 22, 5:30-8:00 PM, Founders Room (Ohio Union)
Two cousins embark on a heritage tour across Poland to honor their late grandmother and reconnect with their family’s past. As they visit historical sites and confront difficult memories, long-standing tensions and personal differences resurface, turning the journey into both an exploration of family history and a deeper examination of grief, identity, and connection.
Co-sponsored by the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures, the Melton Center for Jewish Studies, the Polish Club at Ohio State and the Polish Studies Initiative.
Shimon's Return (2014, dir. Slawomir Grunberg and Katka Reszke)
Wednesday, October 28, 6:00-8:00 PM, 360 Journalism Building
A Holocaust survivor, Shimon Redlich, returns to Ukraine and Poland to revisit the towns, landscapes, and hiding places that shaped his childhood during World War II. Through personal reflections and encounters with the past, the film traces his journey to reconnect with memories of survival, loss, and resilience while exploring the lasting impact of the Holocaust on both individual lives and collective memory.
Co-sponsored by the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures, the Melton Center for Jewish Studies, the Polish Club at Ohio State and the Polish Studies Initiative.
Among Neighbors (2025, dir. Yoav Potash)
Wednesday, November 4, 6:00-8:00 PM, 360 Journalism Building
Blending first-person testimony with evocative hand-drawn animation, this documentary follows a Holocaust survivor and an eyewitness to wartime violence as they recount their experiences during World War II and its aftermath. Their stories uncover the hidden history of a small Polish town, offering a powerful reflection on memory, responsibility, and the lasting impact of violence on individuals and communities.
Co-sponsored by the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures, the Melton Center for Jewish Studies, the Polish Club at Ohio State and the Polish Studies Initiative.
Birthplace (1992, dir. Paweł Łoziński)
Wednesday, December 2, 6:00-8:00 PM, 360 Journalism Building
Filmmaker Paweł Łoziński follows Holocaust survivor Henryk Grynberg as he returns, after nearly fifty years, to the Polish village where he spent his childhood and hid during the Nazi occupation. As Grynberg searches for answers about the fate of his father and younger brother, the film becomes both a deeply personal investigation and a poignant exploration of memory, loss, and the enduring impact of the Holocaust on individuals and communities.
Co-sponsored by the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures, the Melton Center for Jewish Studies, the Polish Club at Ohio State and the Polish Studies Initiative.
